Hygiene regulations in the individual federal states Part 2

Body Cult Tattoo Supplies
2023-12-20 08:40:00 /
Hygiene regulations in the individual federal states Part 2 - Hygiene regulations per federal state

In our second part of the hygiene regulations in individual federal states, we take a closer look at Hamburg, Saarland and Thuringia.

HAMBURG

There is an extra information sheet for all piercing and tattoo studios in Hamburg. This leaflet is available to download online and basically states the following.
Hamburg advises its tattooists and piercers to complete a course on hygiene at a recognised educational institution. Tattooists in Hamburg are also obliged to inform the customer of the exact risks and side effects before the procedure. This is because even with an optimal procedure during tattooing, there is always a residual risk of complications and customers must be informed about these. This information includes not only the risk of infection, but also problems that may occur at a later stage after tattooing and aftercare. Please always ask your customers in advance whether they have any illnesses that prevent them from having a tattoo or piercing (e.g. taking anticoagulants or diabetes). In the interests of the tattoo artist, the customer should always give their consent in writing. As a tattoo artist, you should keep this consent for at least ten years.
In addition to protecting customers, it is also important for studio operators to exercise due diligence towards their employees and themselves. The basis for this is the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Infection Protection Act. As an employer, you are obliged to carry out a risk assessment and define protective measures based on this. Blood or serum are always considered potentially infectious, as they can transmit diseases such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C or AIDS. Flawless hygiene management is therefore essential.
As is already the case in other federal states, hygiene management includes a hygiene plan with operating instructions that summarise the necessary protective measures and rules of conduct. These include personnel hygiene (work clothing, protective equipment, hand hygiene), a cleaning and disinfection plan (for hands, skin, work surfaces, instruments, etc.) and standard operating procedures for the reprocessing of instruments. These operating instructions and the cleaning and disinfection plan must be clearly visible to all employees. Only suitable agents may be used for disinfection (hands, skin, instruments and surfaces). The disinfectants used must be proven to be bactericidal, fungicidal and virucidal.
What should the workstation look like? The tattooist's workplace must be clearly separated from the rest of the studio and must not allow other customers to see in if necessary. Animals do not belong in the treatment room. The furniture in the workspace should also be limited to the bare essentials and should be smooth and water-repellent or have an easy-to-clean surface. The same applies to the work surface. The work surfaces must be disinfected after each treatment. You must dispose of your needles and razor blades in puncture and break-proof, sealable waste containers. Your workplace should also have a washbasin with hot and cold running water, a dispenser with soap and hand sanitiser.
As a tattoo artist in Hamburg, you should also wear disposable gloves during the session and thermally clean textiles that come into contact with blood or other bodily fluids during the session. For more detailed information or if you have any questions, please always contact your local health authority.

SAARLAND

Similar regulations apply in Saarland as in the other federal states presented so far. Compliance with hygiene is also a top priority here and particular attention is paid to the required sterilisation of equipment.
There is a high risk of infection in the tattoo sector - for example with hepatitis viruses - these viruses can enter our bodies or the bodies of our customers through the use of needles or colour. In Saarland, the treatment room must also be separated from the rest of the studio. The use of disposable items or other sterile material is mandatory. Just like in Hamburg, you must inform your customers about the procedure, possible consequences and aftercare before the tattoo session. You should also clean and disinfect the area to be tattooed before the session begins.
You should dispose of your tattoo needles in a sterile and sealable box after the session. You should prepare fresh colours for each session and must not throw them back after use. If there is any ink left in your ink caps at the end of a session, dispose of it.
Only materials that are needed for tattooing may be kept at your tattooing station. Things such as drinks, mobile phones or similar items have no place there.
Materials that you have used for the session, surfaces in your room and other equipment must be cleaned, disinfected and then sterilised after use. If you live in Saarland and run a tattoo studio there and have questions about hygiene regulations, it is best to contact your local authority.

THURINGIA

There is also a comprehensive framework hygiene plan for the state of Thuringia, which tattoo artists and piercers must adhere to.
As the owner of a tattoo studio, you are also responsible for ensuring that hygiene requirements are met. You must draw up a hygiene plan and keep it up to date at all times. The hygiene plan must also be posted in a place where every employee has access. You should train your employees on the necessary hygiene measures at least once a year.
In Thuringia, the workplace must also be physically separate from the waiting area. The workplace must be sufficiently lit and well ventilated and should also have a washbasin with hot and cold running water, disinfectant, a soap dispenser and disposable towels. The floors and walls in your studio should be suitable for wet cleaning and your work surface, loungers and chairs must also be suitable for wet cleaning and disinfection. Your and your employees' work clothes must be kept separate from street clothes. Accompanying persons have no business in your workspace during the session. Animals are also out of place here.
All equipment must be sterile and sterilised when reused. Disposable materials must be disposed of after the session. Spray bottles with skin disinfectant must be used in their original packaging. Decanting from a large container into application bottles is not permitted.
In Thuringia, it is also essential to inform the customer in advance of the session. The customer must be informed about possible health risks, wound care and aftercare. After the session, the freshly engraved tattoo must be covered and protected with a tattoo film. If Vaseline or antiseptic ointments are used as a subsequent covering on the skin, these may be removed from a larger container. However, they should be removed with a disposable spatula, which should then be disposed of. Again, if you are unsure about hygiene in your studio, please contact your local authority.

Our blog posts on the topic of federal states and their hygiene regulations are for information purposes only. You can always find out exact details from the authority responsible for your federal state.